No Change Seen in Usia Policies Regarding Jewish Broadcasts to USSR

March 6, 1973

WASHINGTON (Mar. 5)

U.S. Information Agency sources said today that no change has taken place as yet in its policies or programs, including Voice of America broadcasts to the Soviet Union of Jewish content in its religious materials on Sundays and repeated on Mondays. This was reported to the Jewish Telegraphic “Agency following”the disclosure that major changes in USIA’s policies designed “to reflect and encourage” detente between the United States and the Soviet Union have been proposed by the U.S. Advisory Commission on Information.

The five-man commission headed by Frank Stanton, vice-chairman of CBS, has submitted its report to Congress but it has not been made available to the public. Some change in USIA policies, is expected from USIA’s new director. James Keogh, who took over responsibilities Feb. 8 from Frank Shakespeare who has been accused of continuing a hard line against Communism in the USIA output.

In another report a special Presidential commission headed by Milton Eisenhower has recommended to the White House that Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty be continued. Some Senators, notably Foreign Relations Chairman J. William Fulbright (D. Ark.) have called for the withdrawal of U.S. government financing of these stations which broadcast to Eastern Europe.